In the 1960s and early 70s, it was a great place “to cruise” and meet friends. In the 1990s and 2000s, it was a place for conversation and breakfast. And in mid-2013, Kiser’s Minit Grill on the corner of Battleground Avenue and Gold Street in Kings Mountain closed, after serving the community for 33 years.

Danny and Hilda Kiser, the owners, decided it was time for them to retire. At 65 and 63 respectively, the two wanted to make sure they had plenty of time to do all the things they enjoy.

“We’ve been involved in the food business for 58 years,” Danny said. “We’ve been in business ourself for 48 years. Over the years, we have probably fed five generations.”

Danny said they’ve served parents, grandparents and their grandkids at Kiser’s Minit Grill.

“On weekends we had a lot of families,” said Hilda. “Danny’s place was like a conversation place. The same gentlemen always got here and ate at the same table.”

She said she appreciated “seeing repeat business every morning.”

A family affair

Danny said the restaurant has always been a family affair. He took on the restaurant after his dad, Fred, had a heart attack in 1992.

“Daddy actually created the business and I just carried it on,” said Danny. “His thing was lunch, but they had a lot of working people and they had schedules to where they could come to lunch. Our thing was breakfast.”

Danny said they served breakfast all day long and had many customers come to eat breakfast, especially later in the day.

Hilda also worked at the grill for a few years. In fact, Danny and Hilda had their first date at the grill “on the curb,” with a meal of two popular menu items at the time: a hamburger with barbecue slaw and a bottled Sundrop over flaked ice. That was in August of 1965.

Relationships with customers

Over the past few weeks, Hilda said the Kisers have heard from many customers who will miss the Minit Grill.

Both the Kisers said the hardest part about closing the grill is losing the daily contact with their friends and customers, who have been so faithful throughout the years.

Hilda said she’d also miss the trains coming through town.

“We had a Norfolk Southern PR man who came. He would come and eat with us,” she said.

He also gave them a train calendar each year.

The decision to retire

The Kisers said the decision to close the restaurant was a sudden one.

“He just had an epiphany one day,” Hilda said about her husband.

The restaurant was open seven days a week until four years ago.

“You don’t have much time to do what you want to do,” she said.

Danny said they had planned to sell, but with the sudden decision, they didn’t have a buyer lined up. Both he and Hilda wanted more free time as well.

“It’s just basically our age and the time we were having to spend,” Danny said.

Owning a restaurant is a job that keeps you working 24/7, he said.

Another reason came from his dad, Fred.

“My dad always told me, don’t wait too long to retire,” Danny said.

He said his dad waited to retire, and later got Parkinson’s disease. Danny said he also saw some of his friends retiring and some passing away.

So he made the decision to retire now.

Hilda said they’re making plans for what they’ll do in retirement.

“We’ve got a list of projects at the house,” she said.

Danny also likes to work on their farm and go hunting and fishing.

“He’s never really got to enjoy it, because he had so many commitments here,” she said.

He also plans to help his son with his business.

A devoted customer

At the Kiser Minit Grill's counter this past week, a line of round stools faced the silver grill, waiting for hungry customers to fill them. Chairs and tables were interspersed throughout the restaurant, empty but for a few boxes.

As the Kisers packed their papers and belongings into those boxes, one of their longtime customers stopped by.

Gene White, a former planning director for Kings Mountain, told the story of how he became a devoted customer.

“This would be around 1982 or 1985. We had people going around town and involving themselves in political stuff,” he said.

A publication called the “Citizens Alert” was often distributed around town.

“This one started out saying ‘Gene White is hiring a new secretary to do nothing. If Gene White would stop carrying that clipboard and staying in Kiser’s (restaurant) all the time, he might get something done,’” said White. “The day that it happened, I made it a point to carry my clipboard everywhere and to come in here every day.”

Kiser’s Minit Grill:

- 1965: Fred Kiser opens the Minit Grill at the old Silver Villa location on East King Street. The restaurant has 10 stools and three booths.

- At the age of 11, Danny Kiser works for his dad, Fred, as a car hop.

- 1971: The Minit Grill is relocated to the old Burger Barn on Highway 161. It seats 45 people.

- 1980: Fred relocates the grill to its present location, at 247 South Battleground Ave. in KingsMountain. Kiser’s Minit Grill operated for 33 years there.

- 1990: Danny starts working full time for his dad.

- 1992: Danny takes over the daily operation of the grill.

- 2009: Hilda comes to work at the grill full time, after teaching for 38 years in Cleveland County schools.

- 2013: Danny and Hilda decide to retire and close Kiser’s Minit Grill.

- Danny’s motto: “It doesn’t cost anything to be nice.”

Readers respond

The Star’s Facebook fans shared their thoughts on the Kisers and the Minit Grill on The Shelby Star Facebook page. To join the conversation, “like” The Shelby Star on Facebook.

“Love their food. I will miss that place. Good people.”

Jordyn Sanders

“Kiser will be missed a lot. Great food. An amazing staff.”

Karen Jenkins Lemley

“Good food! My daughter will be sad. They can make anything there. Pancakes shaped as Mickey Mouse, snowman or whatever she wanted. They are wonderful people, too.”

April Towery

“Great food!”

Janet Hope Brafford

Reach Molly Phipps at 704-669-3339, at mphipps@shelbystar.com or on Twitter @MollyAPhipps.